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Fort Worth mom charged with injuring daughter, who later died

FORT WORTH -- A 19-year-old mother is in jail on allegations that she abused her 3-year-old daughter, who died this month.

Janice R. Anthony was charged Monday with injury to a child with serious bodily injury.

Police were called to the family's apartment in the 5400 block of Enclave Circle in southwest Fort Worth about 10:44 a.m. Sept. 6 on an investigation.

They found Paris Howard dead on the floor.

Homicide Sgt. Cheryl Johnson said the girl had obvious bruising on several areas of her body.

An investigation revealed that Anthony had hit the child many times in the previous week over potty training issues, Johnson said.

Anthony was arrested Friday. She was in the Tarrant County Jail on Wednesday with bail set at $100,000.

A ruling on the cause and manner of death is pending toxicology tests and further medical studies. If the ruling is homicide, investigators will meet with the Tarrant County district attorney's officials to decide whether upgraded charges will be sought, Johnson said.

Paris would have turned 4 on Sept. 13.

Days after the girl's death, Anthony gave birth to a son who is in foster care, said Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for Child Protective Services.

Gonzales said the state agency had one prior contact with Anthony, after the birth of Paris in 2008.

The concern, she said, was based solely on Anthony's young age -- she was 15 then. She said investigators ruled out abuse and neglect of the baby.

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